Unexpected

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Oi, Clara, where're you going?" Teddy Lupin appeared in the doorway, his hair a lime green, and very messy.
"Potter's," I told him, "I want to ask James something. And I'm loving the hair by the way."
"Thanks," he grinned, "and if you're going to ask him 'Will you go out with me?', don't come crying to me with the answer."
"Oh shut up would you?" I lobbed a tea towel at him from on the kitchen counter and gestured to the washing up left from yesterday's dinner, "You're on clean up by the way."
He rolled his eyes as I slid out of the door, "Love you too!" He called.
He wasn't my brother, but he might as well have been. He was 8 years older than me, and an orphan who lived in my loft.
I lived with my two Muggle parents in Godric's Hollow, both of them blissfully unaware of all things wizard until two new families moved in next door to us. The Potters (Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily) on our left, and the Weasleys (Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo) on our right. I think it was then that my life took a drastic turn. Both of our new neighbours were wizarding families. It took less than two weeks for Ron (who assumed all Muggles in Godric's Hollow knew about magic) to tell my parents outright. They thought he was crazy. Told me to stay away from Rose and Hugo, and the Potters too, while I was at it. But I wasn't having any of that, I wanted to know more. Besides, I'd already become firm friends with Rose and Lily.
And we went from there. It took my parents a little while, but eventually they came around to the fact that most of our neighbours being witches and wizards would explain all the strange goings-on in our little neighbourhood. Also, by that time, I had for all intents and purposes, become an adopted Weasley-Potter (as I liked to call them). Rose and Lily where the best friends I'd ever had, plus you could always guarantee a lot of laughs whenever James was around. Hugo was hilarious and Albus was a little quieter, but always came out of his shell around his siblings.
Their parents were great too. Harry and Ginny Potter (I only learned later that Harry had defeated the number one evil wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, and was therefore a kind of wizarding celebrity) were incredibly kind, funny too, and I was always welcome at their house. Ron Weasley was utterly hilarious and there was no one who could beat Hermione when it came to homework help. All in all, pretty good neighbours. Once you added Teddy, I had all the family I could ever need. But just in case I didn't, there were 7 other Weasley cousins, 4 uncles, 3 aunts and 2 grandparents that dropped in quite often. They'd all accepted me as well. I liked to think I was officially 'one of them'.
It was around 9:30 when I walked into the Potter's kitchen that morning. I didn't knock, there was no need to.
"Morning." I said to James and Albus, who were sat at the kitchen table playing Wizard's Chess.
"Oh my God, Clara, he's creaming me." James moaned as Albus muttered 'Morning' back.
"Nothing new there then, eh Jamie?" He stuck his tongue out at my nickname for him, but didn't make me call him James like he did everyone else. He was a year older than me, with scruffy black hair and kind blue eyes.
"James, that was really silly, there's absolutely no way you can win now." His brother informed him. Albus (or Al) was my age. His dark brown hair and green eyes made him different from both of his siblings. I liked him. I liked them both.
Their Dad walked into the kitchen in his pyjamas, "Morning Harry." I laughed.
"Honestly," he said, "I'm not dressed for company."
"Dad, is this move legal?" Al pointed to the chess set.
Harry walked over to the board, "I don't know. I'll go and ask Ron." He set out towards the front door.
"Pyjamas." James and I said in unison, holding back grins.
"Oh. Yeah, those." Harry laughed as he retreated up the stairs to change.